A New Adventure
by queenofthe7kingdoms
Summary: Upon the destruction of her village by a dragon, Tauriel sets out to seek out the one who did it. She meets Gandalf the Gray who offers her to join others who want the same as she does. O/S, slight AU. This is my first Hobbit one shot, just something that popped in my head. Might be a two shot, I don't know yet.


**A one shot idea that just popped into my head! This is my first one shot/story in the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fandom. I hope you like it. **

**I own nothing! **

* * *

Tauriel drew an arrow from her quiver, notched it, and slowly drew back her bow string. When her target started to move, she released the arrow, allowing it to sing through the air silently. The tip buried into an eye, and Tauriel smiled when the deer went down. She didn't like killing animals, but when she had to, she would do it, but only for her family's need.

She barely heard the silent footfalls behind her, but she did feel the tree branch she stood on shake as someone leaped from one other tree to hers.

"Excellent shot Tauriel!" Her friend complimented, standing slightly above her on another branch.

"Thank you!" she said as she slid down the slanted tree trunk to examine her kill.

"I have taught you well, yet I still don't understand why you won't come back with me to Mirkwood," her friend said, as he leaped off the branch and silently landed on the earth.

_Show off_, Tauriel thought, rolling her eyes as she bent beside the deer.

"You could be of great use to my father's men. He could make you a Captain of the Guard."

Tauriel chuckled, finding absolutely nothing funny about his words. She only laughed at the impossibility of it all.

"Yes," she snorted, looking up at him. "Captain Tauriel of the Mirkwood Elf Guard. I can see it now." A slight smile played around the corner of her lips, as she thought it was a joke.

Her friend smiled back as well, but he didn't find it as a joke, he thought it was a good idea.

"I belong here with my people, Legolas," she said sadly.

"You're people are the same as mine," Legolas reminded her. "And _our _people are everywhere; in small cities such as this one, in Imladris, Mirkwood," Legolas named a few of the places where Elves resided.

"Ah…yes _but _I do not belong in those cities, Legolas. I belong here, and as long as this city stands, here is where I will remain."

Legolas bent down in front of her, and she was able to take a better look at him. She chuckled as she noticed how his long pale, blonde hair was always perfect, and one hair was never misplaced even if he went through a series of heavy training.

"What?" he asked, her chuckles never being unseen- or at least unheard by him. She shook her head, containing her smile. "Help me bring this to my family, will you?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Of course, O fair she-elf of the forest," he lightly teased as he stood.

"Thank you my _prince_," she replied sarcastically, smiling.

As the two elves brought the heavy deer back towards her small home, Tauriel smiled for her home. It was a small town, consisting of only Sylvian Elves, the lowest kind of Elf. The Sylvian Elves lived separately from the other kinds, such as the ones in Imladris, because they did not fit in well with the others.

It wasn't as if the Elven King did not allow them to step foot in the Woodland Realm, or as if Lord Elrond did not know of their existence, but the Sylvian elves were not ones to share in the lands of their kin, as to why, Tauriel never quite understood, but she was happy nonetheless.

Tauriel opened the door to her home, the hinges creaking slightly.

"Mother?" She called into the emptiness.

Tauriel's mother appeared from around the corner of the kitchen. "Oh!" she exclaimed happily. "Look what you found! Thank you, my daughter!" she said happily, kissing Tauriel's cheek.

Legolas piped up, "she was taught well!"

Tauriel rolled her eyes, and snorted. Legolas gave her an amused expression as her mother saw none of that because she was too busy boasting about how the Prince of the Elves himself taught her only daughter a little about how to use a bow, dual wield swords, and throw knives.

Later that night, it was time for Legolas and his men to leave the little town.

Tauriel stood with him as the other Mirkwood Elves were getting the boats ready by the stream.

"Are you positive you do not wish to join me?" Legolas asked her gently.

"I am sure, Legolas."

"I will miss you; for who else will be my friend as you have been?" He asked.

Tauriel looked down at the pebbles beneath their feet, and looked back up at the Prince. She offered him a small smile and said, "I will miss you as well, but we will see each other again soon, I know of it," she said reassuringly.

Legolas smiled back at her. "When I return, you bets be ready to try to beat me in an archery contest."

Her smile widened and she said, "I wouldn't miss it for the world." She then hugged her Elf friend, and felt his fingers touch her long, fire auburn hair. And she watched him leave with the other warriors, offering him a smile and a wave, and found him returning the same gesture.

-{:}-

"Can you please pass the seasoning?" Tauriel asked her father as she and her parents shared in having dinner of the deer Tauriel killed for their dinner.

As Tauriel was sprinkling what little herbs her mother had found, a sudden cry outside their home caught her attention.

She set down her fork, and followed her father and mother outside to find a gathering of Elves had drawn together, and were watching something in the sky.

She looked up to find hundreds of birds flying away from the forest surrounding the village.

Tauriel had never seen anything like it before, hundreds, maybe even thousands of birds flying together in the same direction.

Then there was a certain thump in the forest, and then another. _Thump…thump. _Tauriel looked in the direction from where it came, and tried to hear more of it, but found that to be difficult because Elves in the village were talking all at once.

A few seconds passed, and all was silent. Then, There was a peculiar sound coming from the sky again, it sounded like…heavy wings flapping slowly in the sky.

Tauriel looked up again to see a great shadow pass over them, and she couldn't see what it was until a very loud, very deep roar rang through the air, and the sudden smell of smoke filled her nostrils, that she realized it was a dragon.

She started to run towards her home, amidst the chaos that ensued through the village, focusing only on wanting to get her weapons, but her mother stopped her.

"No! Follow me!" She said, taking Tauriel by her wrist and pulling her around their house. Her mother took her towards the safe cell, which only was a hole in the ground.

"Get inside!" her mother all but shoved her inside the hole.

"I can help!" Tauriel said.

"You will help me by living! I love you very much, my daughter," her mother kissed her forehead, and shut the door, and Tauriel followed her mother's command and stayed where she was.

She could hear nothing. The safe cell her father had constructed was made very well. Well, as well as one could be made by a low Elf.

She didn't know how long she stayed there for, but she when she opened the door, all she could see was nothing but smoke. Even her trained eyes could see nothing beyond the thick smoke. All was quiet, and then there was a sudden explosion behind Tauriel, and something hit her in the head. She fell to the ground, thinking, _I am so sorry mother, father. I love you both._

-{:}-

The first sense that came to Tauriel as a sign of her survival was the scent of burnt flesh and wood. It was a nasty smell, and then she wished she could recoil.

Then she felt. Her head was stinging, and was very warm, so she suspected blood.

Her heartbeat increased as feeling returned to her arms. She could move her foot, and bend her fingers. Then she opened her eyes. At first she was blinded by a bright light, but then she adjusted fast.

The sun was shining, and was hot on her skin as she tried to sit up. She had to push rubble away from herself to stand up, and she found that her arms had fallen asleep, and the tingling sensation traveled to her feet.

Tauriel turned around to look at her village, and her heart almost stopped. She couldn't hear anything, only the beats of her heart.

She was facing what used to be her home. Every single house and building had fallen, and everything was covered with soot. Tauriel coughed when lingering smoke entered her lungs. She started to move through the rubble, taking in everything. The realization came slow to her, and when reality hit her, a sudden sob broke through her.

Her home was gone. Her family, her friends…her kin was all dead. Bodies were under fallen rubble and littered the ground. When she saw her father and mother both under the same piece of fallen roof, she ran towards their bodies, bent down beside them, and cried.

Tauriel cried hard and long, but then pushed herself to continue looking at the rest of the village.

She slowly moved again through the rubble and soot, coughing here and there.

Eventually, Tauriel found other survivors, only ten Elves in all, other than herself. Ten Elves, out of one hundred. She held the survivors, and they all cried together as they were the last Sylvian Elves to live.

-{:}-

Months passed, Tauriel and her surviving kin buried the bodies that were recovered, and slowly set to clean up the mess. The Dragon that did the damage had left as soon as it caused trouble, never to be seen again. The surviving Elves agreed to head toward Imladris to seek a new home.

When the day came to leave, Tauriel said to her friend, "I cannot go with you."

"Why not?" Rosa asked, another young Elf just like Tauriel.

"I cannot explain it fully, not yet at least. But I must leave you to take the others to Imladris," Tauriel hoped that small bit was enough to get Rosa to understand.

"You wish to seek out the Dragon!" Rosa said.

"I wish to take revenge," was all Tauriel said.

"Let me come with you!"

"No!" Tauriel said. "I need you to take the others to safe grounds... Please, for me."

Rosa looked at her for a few seconds, and then said, "You come back, you hear me?"

Tauriel smiled, and hugged the Elf.

-{:}-

Months passed, years passed, and even decades passed. Tauriel spent her time in different cities, learning all she can. She learned to hone her skills with the likes of men, men who taught her more about battle. She learned all she can, passing on her story to want to kill the dragon which slayed her kin. Few tried to stop her, but she did not listen to the ill words said to her.

One night, she decided to go to a local tavern to have a few drinks, and share stories with willing people.

She found a nice woman to chat with as she drank beer, which happened to be disgusting, but she did not care then. She needed and wanted something other than water.

She was sitting beside an older man, dressed entirely in gray robes and carried a wooden staff with him. That did not bother her, but what did was that he was silent the entire time she was there. He spoke to no one, and often looked over the people in the tavern.

Tauriel told the woman whom she met about what happened to her village, "My village was made up of Sylvian Elves. We are an unknown race, and therefore were not bothered by many. Until the day came when a terrible dragon killed all but eleven of us. I was a helpless little girl, but now…now I wish to take my revenge. I have been living n many different cities of men, learning all I can."

After she finished, she heard the old man beside her speak up. "What did you say?" he asked her.

She turned to find him looking at her. "My village was destroyed by a dragon," she said simply. "I wish to find him, and kill him. Even if I am alone…even if I die, I will be satisfied with just trying."

The old man adjusted in his seat, keeping hold of the pipe in his mouth, turning more towards her, with a watchful and knowing look in his eyes.

"What is your name, my dear?" he asked her.

"I am Tauriel," she said.

The old man took the pipe out of his mouth, and said, "I am Gandalf the Grey."

Tauriel nodded, "It is nice to meet you."

The old man, Gandalf, chuckled. Tauriel looked back to her cup, bringing it to her lips "How would you like to go on an adventure with others who wish to seek the same as you do?" He asked her finally.

She looked back to him with a quizzical brow to see he was being quite serious. Tauriel took a few seconds to think over what the man was offering to her.

"What kind of an adventure?"


End file.
